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High alcohol mead tastes hot

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Runic

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Apr 10, 2018
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I made a batch of cyser that clocks in at 18% (the limit of ec-1118.) and it's quite hot. The alcohol flavor really shines, which is putting quite a damper on my drink in my of it. I plan on storing some away in bottles for extended aging, however...

Would back sweetening with a bit of honey help diffuse the alcohol flavor? I don't want to go crazy with it, but in my 20 gallon batch, maybe a quart ladle or 2 just to even things out? I've scoured the interwebs and have only come up with aging as a reliable option, and the length of time that would take in a best guess between 6 months and a few years. Any help is appreciated

~Andrew
 
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Farmboyc

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Sep 2, 2015
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Aging, back sweetening, and oak are your best bets.

18% abv is pretty high. I find that alcohol starts to be the main focus of the flavour once you get above about 14%. If you want a more complex flavour and be able to taste the subtlety of a mead I find the sweet spot is 11-13%.

Your mileage may vary.

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Squatchy

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Nov 3, 2014
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You can roll off the edge some by adding Hungarian Oak Med toast, along with backsweetening. I would back sweeten a little bit. Just under what you want it to be. Then add oak for a few months. Then come back and adjust the sweetness level again. It's not worth making high ABV meads. It's not easy at all to get a good balance with flavor profiles and Alcohol.
 
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Runic

NewBee
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Apr 10, 2018
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Squatchy said:
You can roll off the edge some by adding Hungarian Oak Med toast, along with backsweetening. I would back sweeten a little bit. Just under what you want it to be. Then add oak for a few months. Then come back and adjust the sweetness level again. It's not worth making high ABV meads. It's not easy at all to get a good balance with flavor profiles and Alcohol.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help guys. Squatchy, I'm now realizing, after 4 batches, that super high abv meads aren't worth it. I still enjoy them, but I think I'll switch gears and start making lower abv meads
 
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Squatchy

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Runic said:
Thanks for the help guys. Squatchy, I'm now realizing, after 4 batches, that super high abv meads aren't worth it. I still enjoy them, but I think I'll switch gears and start making lower abv meads
Click to expand...

Go learn how to make great traditionals at 11-12%. You will learn more doing that than anything. Nothing can hide in a trad. So when you get that. you will have raised the bar for everything
 
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bernardsmith

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Sep 1, 2013
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Saratoga Springs , NY
Gotta agree with Squatchy. Best to focus on making a good traditional at wine levels of alcohol. If you really want to drink high octane "mead" you could do worse than adding some honey to a glass of vodka or scotch. Add some lemon juice and a splash of water and that's a toddy.. It ain't mead but it's very drinkable and though I don't know your mead , it is almost certainly better than most
mead made at 18% ABV.;)
 
Robert Scogins

Robert Scogins

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Dec 29, 2018
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Although new at mead, I made one at 14%, and it was "warm", but I think that has a good chance of ageing out. Will let everyone know at the 6 month and 1 year mark.
 
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Farmboyc

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Sep 2, 2015
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I always aim for 12% when trying a new mead. Establish my baseline and adjust as required.

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Devin Petry-Johnson

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I agree with all the advice above. You might also consider letting it "breathe" before you drink it. Pour it in a glass and let it interact with air for 10-20 minutes. Drink it cold, perhaps with an ice cube.
 
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